Description

Episodes: The Lion's Cub, The Marriage Game, Shadow of the Sun, Horrible Conspiracies, The Enterprise of England, Sweet England's Pride. This magnificent 6-volume collection recounts the epic life and times of the remarkable Elizabeth I in a cycle of 6 plays. Won multiple Emmy Awards. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Masterpiece Theatre's enduring classic
Elizabeth R tells the fascinating story of Elizabeth Tudor's life. She was 25 years old when she became queen of England in 1558 and ruled for 45 years. This six-part series is concerned primarily with her life as queen, hence the 'R' for Regina. The six parts are divided onto three dvds; each part is roughly ninety minutes long. A fourth dvd contains a nice selection of bonus materials. Elizabeth R premiered on Masterpiece Theatre in 1971, the same year as The Six Wives of Henry VIII. In terms of quality, however, its only rival is I, Claudius, produced five years later.

The series stars Glenda Jackson, who also plays Elizabeth in 1971's feature film Mary, Queen of Scots. After watching this series, it is impossible to imagine another actress bringing Gloriana to life. Jackson was in her mid-thirties when filming began. For that reason, part one of this series (The Lion's Cub) has many flashbacks seen through Elizabeth's eyes. The Thomas Seymour affair and the tragic end of Katharine Parr are given due attention. In a nice touch, Rosalie Crutchley reprises her role as Parr from The Six Wives series.

But the story really begins when Elizabeth's Catholic half-sister Mary becomes queen in 1553. Jackson captures the paranoia and danger of Elizabeth's life and her uneasy flirtation with Mary's husband Philip of Spain. She is ably supported by her castmates. Daphne Slater is a wonderful Mary I (like a Mor portrait come to life), as is Peter Jeffrey playing Philip. He returns later in the series, as the conflict between Spain and England leads to the great Armada invasion of 1588. The second part (The Marriage Game) is the story of Elizabeth's first years on the throne, and her romance with Robert Dudley. Robert Hardy plays Dudley, who soon comes into conflict with Elizabeth's most trusted advisor, William Cecil. In part three (Shadow in the Sun), the marriage problem is acute; Elizabeth is no longer young and must wed. We are now introduced to French politics as Catherine d'Medici works to marry her son Francois to Elizabeth. Our heroine must finally decide - will she marry or remain a virgin queen? Jackson makes us feel the personal cost of this political decision. Watch Elizabeth when she learns that Dudley has secretly married her cousin! In part four (Horrible Conspiracies), the tragic story of Mary Queen of Scots takes center stage. Vivian Pickles plays Mary. The filmmakers
take a confusing tale and make it understandable, even for those who have never heard of either queen. We witness the Babington Plot, Elizabeth's famous 'answer answerless' speech, and Mary's dramatic execution. In part five (The Enterprise of England), Philip of Spain returns as his country prepares to invade England. The cautious Elizabeth scores her greatest victory when the English navy, with help from Mother Nature, defeats the Spanish force. Part six (Sweet England's Pride) is the story of the Earl of Essex, Dudley's stepson and the great favorite of Elizabeth's last years. Arrogant and hot-tempered, Essex chafes at court life and longs for glory. He eventually attempts to seize the English throne and is executed.

Throughout it all, Jackson captures the intelligence and passion of this famous queen. Not one moment in this series rings false. The production values are excellent, especially for a television mini-series. For Tudor enthusiasts, there is a real treat in seeing famous portraits of Elizabeth come to life. The beautiful gowns from the coronation, Darnley, Ditchley, and Armada portraits are recreated perfectly.

This is the most accurate historical mini-series I have watched. It is also the most engrossing. The tangled politics and loyalties of 16th century Europe are made intelligible. I have watched it with friends who only vaguely knew of Elizabeth and they loved it. The supplemental materials give some insight into the creation of Elizabeth R. You can watch Glenda Jackson try on various costumes. She also contributes new readings of Elizabeth's most famous speeches and an interview. Historian Alison Weir contributes historical notes. And there is a photo gallery of portraits and locations. There is an error on one of the portraits; I'll let the Tudor fans figure it out.

The dvd set comes in a green slipcase and is beautifully packaged. The BBC put such care and effort into this release that I can only wonder why The Six Wives of Henry VIII received such shabby treatment. If you have some extra money and a desire to slip back in time, to watch a great actress bring a great queen to life, then purchase Elizabeth R. You will not regret it.

An excellent biography
This biography of Queen Elizabeth I, a made for TV miniseries, is composed of six 90-minute shows, each on its own tape. Episode 1 is The Lion's Cub, which documents Princess Elizabeth's early life, surviving the machinations of the royal court, her imprisonment under Queen Mary, and her final ascension to the throne. Episode 2 is The Marriage Game, which documents Elizabeth's contemplation of marriage, and her interaction with her royal favorite, Lord Robert Dudley. Episode 3 is The Shadow in the Sun, which covers the Queen's foreign policy and her contemplated marriage to the French Duc d'Alencon. Episode 4 is Horrible Conspiracies, which documents the plots and intrigues surrounding Elizabeth and her imprisoned cousin, Mary Queen of Scots. Episode 5 is The Enterprise of England, covering England's war with Spain and the Armada. And finally, episode 6, Sweet England's Pride, covers the rise and fall of the Earl of Essex, and Queen Elizabeth's own death.

This miniseries is an excellent biography of Queen Elizabeth I, being remarkably close to the historical record. The quality of the production is not too high, but the wonderful acting by Glenda Jackson, et al, make the series well worth seeing. In reference to family viewing, there are some disturbing scenes (e.g. one where Princess Elizabeth's dress is being ripped off of her, off camera, by an amorous suitor in Episode 1), and two very brief scenes of nudity (both male and female) in Episode 3. Overall, though, this series is very family friendly.

So, this is a great series, and is something anyone interested in Queen Elizabeth I should see.

More extras than listed
There's little I can say that others haven't already stated: this is a brilliantly acted, extremely well-written arc of six plays. Each play could stand on its own, though of course, you'll want to watch them in order. It should be noted, however, that there are a few more extras than are listed here on Amazon or even on the box itself, including a 44-minute documentary on the Queen by A&E, especially useful to those who might want a little historical background, and a conversation with historian Alison Wier which runs for an interesting 21 minutes. This is not the same as the commentary track which I haven't listened to yet, though, from occasionally flipping to it, it seems to be full or information and no silences--amazing for a nine-hour drama. Everything, including the extras, has captions--rather than subtitles--which unfortunately are generated by the TV and not the TV player, but that's a minor quibble for such a great disc.

Highly recommended.

Great production
I was expecting the sets and costume to look like it was produced in 1971, but I was much surprised that it could have passed being produced early 1990s. I have seen some period movies produced in 1990s with much worse sets and costumes. Plus, Glenda Jackson's acting is just fab! This production is as old me and still looking very much up to date!

An Outstanding Dramatisation!
Elizabeth R is an outstanding and refreshingly accurate 1972 dramatisation of the life of Queen Elizabeth I. Headed by an all-star British cast, the acting is flawless, the costumes magnificent, the writing first-rate, and the dialogue sumptuous. Existing documents have been utilised for speeches and such, but the same tone or feel has been maintained throughout, resulting in a rich verbal tapestry.

The series is presented in six 90-minute episodes, and as for the quality of the DVD set, the BBC has done an exceptional job. The picture is nice and clear, the sound is good, and the disc set is encased in a richly flocked, emerald green slip case. Best of all, however, are the numerous special features. Firstly there is a 30-minute interview with Glenda Jackson (2001) wherein she talks about the role and her preparation for it, about Elizabeth, and lastly about politics (she's been a Labour MP for the last decade or so). Also informative is a 20-minute interview with historian Alison Weir (2001), wherein she talks about Elizabeth, her world, and the accuracy of the presentation. There is a 45-minute A&E biography (1996) on the life of Elizabeth, an audio reading by Jackson of a number of period documents, behind-the-scenes' photos of Jackson in make-up and costume fitting, a portrait gallery with stills of various characters displayed beside portraits of the originals, and a text-based guide to who's who in the cast. A wonderful feature (which I highly recommend viewers take advantage of!) is the audio commentary provided by Alison Weir, which one can turn on while watching the episodes. Weir provides a lot of background information and other tidbits, as well as highlighting areas where liberties have been taken.

Born in 1533 to Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth was a woman of formidable intelligence who proved herself to be an extremely capable and dedicated monarch, and Glenda Jackson's portrayal of her from youth through old age is nothing short of a masterpiece. I have seen other actresses in the role but Jackson's portrayal is and (for me) always will be the definitive one. It is sheer perfection--one in which realism (thankfully) is not sacrificed on the altar of vanity. Jackson went so far as to blacken her teeth to mimic the rotting teeth of the ageing Elizabeth; also, she partially shaved her head in order to better resemble the high-foreheaded Queen.

Familiar faces to fans of British television include: Robert Hardy (All Creatures, Edward the King), who is magnificent as the dashing Robert ("Robin") Dudley, Earl of Leicester, the life-long love of Elizabeth. The late Michael Williams (A Fine Romance) is highly enjoyable as Elizabeth's "Frog", the Duke of Alencon--the only real contender for her hand. The late Peter Jeffrey is superb as Phillip II of Spain. Robin Ellis (Poldark) is splendid as the young, handsome, highly ambitious but petulant and self-destructive Earl of Essex, whom the Queen rather foolishly favoured--indeed doted on--in her old age.

In conclusion, I HIGHLY recommend this series to anyone interested in history or historical biography. Being a 70's dramatisation, it may not have the slick production values of more recent endeavours (ie. it feels at times as though we are watching a play that's been filmed), but don't let that deter you. You'll have to look far to find a more authentic dramatisation or one that is better written or more consummately acted. If you are familiar with and have enjoyed other superb historical productions of the time--shows like I Claudius or The Six Wives of Henry VIII, for example--you will surely enjoy this one! Finally, for those interested in delving a little deeper, I highly recommend Alison Weir's well-researched, captivating book entitled The Life of Elizabeth I. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Walter Matthau is in peak form in Hopscotch, a featherweight spy-game comedy in which he plays a CIA agent who's way smarter than his dimwitted superiors. That's the fantasy part--this amusing cat-and-mouse game is so lopsided that you can't take it seriously. The movie's charm is derived from the sardonic pleasure with which Matthau makes his pursuers look like idiots, after they've targeted him for "termination" for publishing a tell-all memoir about his tenure in "the Company." He's no stool pigeon, however; it's his boss (played with blustery thick-headedness by the great Ned Beatty) who's abusing his power, so Matthau recruits an old lover (Glenda Jackson) to join him in a globetrotting game of clandestine cleverness. Under Ronald Neame's too-casual direction, this is a not-so-wild goose chase, but Matthau and Jackson (reuniting after they had fun making the 1978 comedy House Calls) have an easygoing chemistry that's nicely balanced with Matthau's cantankerous shenanigans. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (116)

I love this movie!
Miles Kendig (played Walter Matthau) is a CIA agent who is used to doing things his way. When his new chief, the abusive and bombastic G.P. Myerson (Ned Beatty), decides to retire him behind a desk, Kendig decides that the CIA needs a house cleaning--and that his memoirs would make the perfect broom. Now Kendig is on the run from the Agency: sending out new chapters, playing hide-and-seek with old associates. It's all a game, a game of hopscotch, and Kendig needs to keep one step ahead. Will he succeed? [Color, released in 1980, with a running time of 1 hour, 44 minutes.]

I have loved this movie since it came out in 1980! It is just the perfect mix of adventure and humor. Humorous, but not a comedy movie--it's an adventure story with a sense of humor. And now for the bad news: to make his character more dislikable, Ned Beatty swears incessantly in this movie, which makes it a little much to watch in front of small children (I have two). That said, though, I do not know why this movie deserved its R rating. There is no nudity, and practically no violence. And I must add, the swearing is not too much for adult viewers; I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't break into uproarious laughter when Myerson angrily gives his opinion of what FBI stands for!

Smart, Stylish Comedy
We saw this movie back in the early 1980's and loved it, but by the time we tried to get a copy, it had gone out of print. Many thanks to Criterion for releasing it on DVD! This film is superb, well-written and directed, with a cast of very gifted performers. The actors play their roles to the hilt and have a terrific chemistry onscreen.

The plot is basic revenge, perpetrated on the CIA by one of its top operatives. Walter Matthau plays the amiable Kendig, a man who's served in the field for decades and is an excellent agent. He's smart yet still down-to-earth; his reputation among the underworld of spydom is the stuff of legends. Kendig is respected even by his enemies for his savvy decisions and sense of fair play, and his reluctance to resort to dirty tricks. His new boss, Meyerson (Ned Beatty) resents his underling's popularity and decides to neutralize Kendig's effectiveness by yanking him from the field and assigning him to a desk job as a file clerk.

To say that Kendig despises his new boss would be a gross understatement. A switched file is shredded and Kendig vanishes, fleeing to Austria and his lover Isobel (Glenda Jackson). From there, he nurses his wounds and launches on his vengeance against Meyerson and the CIA by writing a book that reveals the agency's dirty tricks and botched missions. Meyerson is livid and assigns Joe Cutter (Sam Waterston) to put a stop to Kendig by any means necessary, especially assassination. Cutter admires Kendig and is torn by his personal feelings for the man and his desire to serve his country.

The story then twists and turns as Kendig leads his former employers on a huge wild goose chase. He calls them from a phone booth right near the CIA headquarters, hides out in Meyerson's southern house---which is later demolished by the feds themselves---, and feeds chapters of the book to Meyerson to whip him into a frenzy of ineffectual rage. He plans on getting the entire book to a publisher, and his means for doing so and ensuring his own protection from future assassination attempts are ingenious.

We are very happy that this movie was released to the public once again. Matthau is superb as a real man working in an unreal world of espionage. Herbert Lom is great for the role of his KGB counterpart, and Glenda Jackson is both tart and elegant as the enigmatic Isobel, who frankly adores Kendig. Ned Beatty plays the part of the oafish Meyerson to perfection, making the viewer hate him thoroughly. Waterston is in excellent form as the good-hearted and conflicted Cutter, and shows hints of his mildly acerbic wit that would come to fruition in his later role of McCoy. The supporting players are fine, too, and the plot is well-crafted and believable.

The DVD is nicely done. There aren't many extras, but it's beautifully produced and does have a nice feature: an alternate soundtrack that deletes the foul language, so even kids can watch it with their parents. We are pleased with our investment, and highly recommend "Hopscotch" to anyone who enjoys a well-done and stylish comedy. It's also perfect for fans of Walter Matthau!

He's about to expose the CIA, the FBI, the KGB...and himself
Off the top of your head, how many funny spy films can you think of? The James Colburn 'Flint' films of the 60's? The Austin Powers movies perhaps? Or that incredibly lame Leslie Nielsen film...Spy Hard (1996)? Over-the-top silliness seems to be a common theme in these films, but Hopscotch (1980), based on a book written by Brian Garfield, also a comedy involving spies, manages to rise above, avoiding the slapsticky and crude humor, rather providing a charming and intelligent story that entertains throughout. Directed by Ronald Neame (Prudence and the Pill, The Poseidon Adventure, The Odessa File), the film stars a wonderful and accomplished cast of actors including Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, Sam Waterston, Herbert Lom, and Ned Beatty.

Matthau plays Miles Kendig, one of the CIA's top field agents who suddenly finds himself relegated to a desk job after control of the department he works for is taken over by a petty, vindictive, and less than capable man named Myerson (Beatty) who seems to harbor a personal grudge against Kendig. Unable to deal with riding his career out behind a desk, Kendig leaves the agency, and, after much thought, decides to write his memoirs, detailing all kinds of juicy, sensitive stuff about not only his own agency, but also intelligence agencies throughout the world. After being in the biz for thirty years, he certainly has the inside scoop on all kinds of things, causing his former boss to put out the order for his termination, elimination, liquidation, extermination, what have you...with the aid of a wealthy widow and love interest named Isobel who was also once in the game, played by Jackson, Kendig begins leading his former colleagues on a chase that spans halfway around the globe, always managing to stay one or two steps ahead. Will he be able to finish his book before his old agency or that of a foreign power catches up to him? Even if he does, will he live to see his work published?

Hopscotch is a wonderfully witty, light comedy with a dash of sophistication that nearly everyone can enjoy. Matthau plays his role so perfectly that after seeing the film, you could imagine no one else in the part. He's certainly got that whole irascible charm thing down, and it fits with the character very well here. I loved how his character never seemed to lose his calm composure, constantly outwitting and outsmarting his former co-workers in leisure like fashion, given that he probably wrote the book and trained half the men now chasing him. The element of Kendig using the notion of a book for revenge at first, but then once removed from the work he participated in for so long and seeing just how nasty it is from an outside perspective decides to follow through with his initial threat of finishing the book and getting it published. Jackson plays so very well off Matthau, and they create a level of chemistry that's pretty rare, in my opinion, between on screen couples. They just seem to fit so naturally together, creating a level of believability to counteract the somewhat unrealistic element that the CIA are a mostly a bunch of bumbling buffoons. Did anyone else think her hair was a bit too short, giving her the appearance of a young boy? Maybe it was just me... I really enjoyed a young looking Waterston (Law and Order) as Cutter, Kendig's competent and intelligent protégé now responsible for finding and eliminating his former mentor. I read that he'd actually come into shooting late due to the film he was working on prior, Heaven's Gate (1980) ran past its' shooting schedule, and is the reason why Waterston looks so very tired in some of the scenes in Hopscotch. Herbert Lom is also very good as a Soviet agent named Yaskov, one "who's seen Casablanca one too many times", although I felt he deserved a bit more screen time. Ned (Squeal like a pig for me, boy) Beatty is a riot as Myerson, constantly exasperated by his group's futile attempts to put a lid on the loose cannon he himself let loose due to his own petty dislikes for Kendig. Imagine someone you work with that no one likes, and then that person finally getting a little bit of power, lording over certain individuals, power tripping here and there, but mostly tripping over his own feet, and you basically have Myerson. The direction by Neame was most excellent, keeping the viewer (me) engaged throughout, with a smooth, steady pace as the story unfolded, which is a bit light in some parts, but did nothing to reduce my enjoyment of this charming, funny film.

Criterion provides a superior high-definition digital transfer here in wide screen format and a cleaned up soundtrack. The quality of the picture is really fabulous, especially when compared to my old VHS copy. As far as special features are concerned, there's not as much as I would have thought from a Criterion release, but what's here is very worthy. There's liner notes on the insert inside the DVD case by Bruce Eder, a video introduction by writer Brian Garfield and director Roland Neame along with interviews, a separate audio track, a clean version created for television broadcast along with the original version (there's very little profanity in the film, but what this is comes from Ned Beatty's character Myerson) and an original theatrical trailer along with a teaser trailer for the film. If you're looking for a smartly funny engaging comedy that only gets better after repeated viewings, then Hopscotch is for you.

Cookieman108

Ughhh! What a Waste of Major Talents!
Rarely have such major talents (Matthau, Jackson and Beatty) been wasted in a film.

Matthau plays a CIA station chief who is called back to Washington when - against CIA instructions - he allows the KGB's top agent to go free after catching him dead to rights in an espionage sting.

How does Kendig (Matthau's character) deal with being "taken out of the game"? Against CIA policy, he proceeds to sell out U.S. national security interests by writing a best-selling expose of CIA covert operations. Ha, Ha! Real funny! What a laugh riot! The entire movie is standard liberal Hollywood fare - the CIA is stupid, the FBI is stupid, the iconoclast is irrascible and superior (he must be, he loves opera), yada, yada, yada.

And what, do you ask, is Kendig's stated motive in disclosing U.S. secrets in a best-selling book? To expose CIA wrong-doing? Uh, no. Is it to expose a rogue agent in the upper reaches of the CIA? No, not that either. To quote the film, it's payback because his boss "emasculated" him. I do not kid. That's what he says. Wow! What a riot! Get back at your boss by selling out your country!

I was in the last PATH train to be diverted from the World Trade Center PATH stop and watched the buildings go down - not on TV. I have subscriptions to the Metropolitan Opera and the City Opera. I DID NOT FIND THE PREMISE OF THIS FILM THE LEAST BIT FUNNY.

"Hopscotch"..."Good Title"
was suprised to see criterion release hopscotch, but glad they did. here matthau is repremanded for allowing a wanted KGB agent to walk. matthau's integrity is too precious to take guff from even the CIA. subsequently, he does not take the news of being reassigned to the job of file clerk very well so he begins to write his memoires, leaking secret information to the opposition. the ensuing chase is slapstick, a spy vs. spy comedy with great international locations. frankly, using the cold war as a catalyst for comedy was long overdue by 1980. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

In 1964, German playwright Peter Weiss wowed the international theater scene with his Berlin production of The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade. An instant sensation, the play caught the attention of iconic theater director Peter Brook, whose own stage production captivated audiences in New York the next year. Brook then filmed his production in 1966, and the resulting movie, Marat/Sade, stands as one of the best-loved screen adaptations of a play, by both critics and theater fans alike. (The 1996 film Quills is a good example of the story's lasting resonance.) As can be surmised by the play's original title, the action focuses on the Marquis de Sade (Patrick Magee) circa 1808, who, while imprisoned at Charenton Asylum, writes and directs a play starring his fellow inmates. Dramatizing the final hours of French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat (Ian Richardson) before he was killed by Charlotte Corday (Glenda Jackson, in one of the defining moments of her career), de Sade offers the play as an entertaining whim for the tiny audience of asylum director Coulmier (Clifford Rose) and his family. Utilizing the "theatre of cruelty" theory of avant-garde pioneer Antonin Artaud--once an asylum inmate himself--Brook's presentation of Marat/Sade confronts with jagged language, sounds and visuals, in an attempt to shock the movie audience into dissatisfaction and action against the status quo, mirroring the way de Sade's play within the film stirs the asylum inmates to high dudgeon and revolution. --Heather Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (18)

More Spectacle than Substance.
In 1808, at a mental institution in Charenton, outside of Paris, France, the patients perform a play for a visiting audience of the city's high society. The play was written and directed by the infamous Marquis de Sade (Patrick Magee), a long-term resident of the asylum known throughout the Western world for his scandalous philosophical novels. The play -and sometimes musical- is a reenactment of key events in France's tumultuous recent past. It dramatizes the French Revolution, its aftermath, and the eventual murder of revolutionary leader Jean-Paul Marat (Ian Richardson) by Charlotte Corday (Glenda Jackson) in 1793. Interspersed throughout the play are monologues by Marat and de Sade that articulate their conflicting socio-political ideologies.

"Marat/Sade" is a movie of a play -indeed of a play within a play- that was performed by The Royal Shakespeare Company under the direction of Peter Brook in 1967. The play was originally written by playwright Peter Weiss and entitled "The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum at Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade", which is an accurate, if cumbersome, title. "Marat/ Sade" is a film of that play, and it is filmed in a style that draws attention to the fact that we are watching a play. To put it bluntly, it is filmed more awkwardly than well. The style of the play/movie reflects some of the experimental fashions in the art world of the late 1960s. The performances are interesting and heartfelt, but more melodramatic than convincing. The actors are playing performers who suffer from various mental ailments who are in turn playing roles in a play. -Kind of like playing two characters at once. The behavior of the asylum's histrionic inmates sometimes seems to coincide with their particular mental conditions and sometimes seems to be an acting class exercise in various extreme but unlikely emotional states. The chorus and minor players are generic crazies: ugly, outrageous, and pitiful, who seem to exist primarily to be just that. The most interesting aspect of the film is its philosophical monologues by Jean-Paul Marat and the Marquis de Sade. The antics of the mental patients trying to stage a proper full-length play and occasionally being overcome by their madness are funny, but ultimately most of the film just seems like clutter between the far more coherent monologues.

Like most experimental theater, "Marat/Sade" is more about spectacle than about presenting a credible story or characters. The Marquis de Sade actually was an inmate at the Asylum at Charenton. And he did write plays which were performed by his fellow inmates for visiting Parisian aristocrats. But those plays have not survived. Whatever de Sade's plays at Charenton were about, they almost certainly had philosophical underpinnings. "Marat/Sade" showcases the conflicting ideologies of The Marquis de Sade and Jean-Paul Marat, but it doesn't do it very well. Philosophy also plays second fiddle to spectacle. The monologues are disjointed and none of the ideas are complete. The film toys with themes here and there, and then drops them. Only the idea that humans are violent savages if left unchecked is expressed coherently. Ultimately, "Marat/Sade" has the feeling of something that actors, writers, and directors like to create because it exercises their abilities, but that audiences don't like to watch because it isn't valuable beyond that. It's a movie made for performing, not for viewing. In a nutshell, this is 1960s experimental theater. It you like that, you'll probably like this. If you don't, you won't.

The DVD (This refers to the Image Entertainment DVD only.): The disc has very poor sound, as if some dialogue simply wasn't miked. You'll have to turn the volume way up to hear some of the dialogue and then quickly back down so as not to be deafened. The sound badly needs to be remixed. This disc is full screen; the movie was filmed in a widescreen aspect ratio. Instead of compressing the wider image into a full screen ratio, the sides of the image have simply been chopped off. So you can't see what's going on in the periphery. There are no bonus features on the disc. Basically, this is a bad disc. Image Entertainment usually does better. But it looks like they're no longer producing it, so perhaps the MGM/UA disc is better.

Demanding, Stimulating, But Of Limited Appeal
MARAT/SADE is the film version of a play that arose from an actor's workshop exploring various theatrical theories expressed by French actor-director-writer Antoine Artard, who extolled a style of performance he described as "theatre of cruelty"--which, broadly speaking, consists of an assault upon the audience's senses by every means possible. Ultimately, and although it makes effective use of its setting and the cinematography mirrors the chaos expected of such a situation, the film version of MARAT/SADE is less a motion picture than a record of a justly famous stage play that offers a complex statement re man's savagery.

The story of MARAT/SADE concerns the performance of a play by inmates of an early 1800s insane asylum, with script and direction by the infamous Marquis de Sade. (While this may sound a bit farfetched, it is based on fact: de Sade was known to have written plays for performance by inmates during his own incarceration in an asylum.) The story of the play concerns the assasination of the revolutionary Marat by Charotte Corday, but the play itself becomes a debate between various characters, all of which may be read as in someway intrinsically destructive and evil. Since all the characters are played by mentally-ill inmates of the asylum (the actor playing Marat, for example, is described as a paranoid, and the actress playing Corday suffers from sleeping sickness and meloncholia), the debate is further fueled by their insanity, unpredictability as performers, and the staff's reactions to both their behavior and the often subversive nature of the script they play out.

Patrick Magee as de Sade, Glenda Jackson as the inmate playing Corday (it was her breakout performance), and Ian Richardson as the inmate playing Marat offering impressive performances; indeed, the ensemble cast as a whole is incredibly impressive, and they keep the extremely wordy script moving along with considerable interest. Even so, it will be obvious that the material works better as a live performance than as a film, and I do not recommend it to a casual viewer; its appeal will be largely limited to the literary and theatrical intelligentsia. The DVD includes the original theatrical trailer, but beyond this there are no extras of any kind.

Filming a play has mixed results
The legendary stage production of Marat/Sade was, I am sure, one of those great moments in theater history. I am somewhat grateful that an attempt was made to capture the moment on film for people who didn't witness it, but the film drags at times. I watched with interest at the directing choices, but was not fully involved with the action. I don't imagine there is any way to capture the sight of all the lunatics challenging the audience by their very presence. It doesn't communicate from a tv screen in quite the same way. This is a good record of theater history, but only an mediocre film.

Intense, intelligent film
This 1966 film depicts the Marquis de Sade's imprisonment in a mental asylum and a play that he directs using the other inmates as actors. The story of Sade was recently related in "Quills," and that film is somewhat similar in tone, but not plot. Believe it or not, the film is also a musical! The "play" within the movie chronicles events from the French Revolution pertaining to Marat, and is put on for the asylum's leader and the local gentry. The local gentry are shocked at times, and the asylum leader interrupts the play several times with interjections concerning the play's radical ideas and how the gentry are depicted. As the play reaches its culmination, the inmates inevitably begin to stage their own revolution. The action is often confusing, but the emotions conveyed are so intense, that the film can be enjoyed on a visceral level.

The direction of this film is quite brilliant, and it must have been pretty shocking when it was released 36 years ago. The acting is also very intense and realistic. Glenda Jackson has her starring debut here and is quite appealing, considering that she's playing a mental asylum inmate. The only quibble I have with the DVD is the poor sound quality. Even on DVD, the sound is muddled and the actor's dialogue is often unintelligible, especially during the songs. Unfortunately, the DVD does not include captions/subtitles, which would have helped immensely (there are no other extras either). A very worthwhile movie that could have been presented better on this DVD.

Prophecies Of The Divine Marquis.
This is certainly one of the great events of cinema history. Director Peter Brook wanted to re-create the play by Peter Weiss, The Persecution And Assassination Of Jean-Paul Marat, with the multiple-view possible only in cinema but without losing the immediacy of the stage. So, he used a stationary camera for long shots and hand-held camera for close-ups and the result, somewhere bewteen cinema and stage, is phenomenal. Everything in the production is first-rate. There are large exquisite performances by Patrick Magee as Sade, Ian Richardson as Marat, and Glenda Jackson as Corday and equally fine smaller performances down to the most anonymous lunatic. The script is very fine and well translated from the German. The music is wonderful.
This film was released in 1966, one year after Grove Press issued its handsome 750 page paperback volume The Marquis De Sade (...) which, along with this film, really began the popular American interest in Sade which has continued up to the present. But the picture of Sade in this 1966 film is much more interesting, deeper, and closer to the truth than anything that has come since then. Sade was not a pornographer or a smut peddler, he was a literary philosopher whose books were not intended to arouse sexual desire, but rather to overthrow conventional premises and assumptions about reality itself. The endless sadistic/masochistic sex scenes in his books are really not about sex at all, they are about breaking down the illusions in the human mind and seeing reality for what it is: an endless, bottomles process of creation and destruction that is utterly indifferent to any human desire or feeling. Sade's 'perverse criminals' are merely people attempting to identify with this transcendent force as individuals because that is the only real power and 'dignity' that they have. Sade believed that the world was destined to become one vast mad slaughterhouse and the film conveys this very well. But what Marat/Sade really captures is Sade's passionate and prophetic position in modern history. Who could deny that this film is at least as relevant now as it was in 1966 and that its relevance will probably continue to deepen? Where is the modern philosopher who can prove Sade wrong? Whether one likes it or not this is what makes this film still such an urgent work of art. Only in Bresson or Tarkovsky can the negative force of its revelation be countered by a different perspective. It remains a crucial masterpiece. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

Famed British spy novelist John Le Carré wrote the screenplay for A Murder of Quality, adapting it from his novel of the same name. Former Intelligence agent George Smiley investigates a murder within an elite British school. Storyline takes aim at the British class system. Stars British character actor Denholm Elliot (Noises Off), Glenda Jackson (Salomé’s Last Dance) and a young Christian Bale (Little Women, American Psycho). ... Read more

Reviews (6)

No car chases, (...), you call this a movie!
Is blavis of Beaumont sure that his brain imploded after the film started! I am sure that Christian Bale is relieved that he was excluded from the crystal clarity of your in-depth and thoughtful review.

I suggest to any and all lovers of literature on film that you pass on the Top Ten favorite films of blavis of Texas and rent, buy or steal this film. You will not be sorry!

Murder of Quality.....John Le Carre
Excellent film rendition of the novel, done with the subtle touches that give the educated a stimulating exercise of the "little grey matter".

The so called review by:Reviewer: blavis from Beaumont, TX United States confirms the prevailing lack of educated beings' in Texas and most of the Southern US. Such a pity in this day and age.

Have not seen the movie
yet I feel sorry for blavis from Beaumont, TX United States. This person should stick to James Bond.

Solid Adaptation
The reviewer from Beumont, TX has no clue what he was watching. To watch this film without any knowledge of the unparalleled John Le Carre is folly. The reviewer didn't know that the so-called "ex-spy" was Le Carre's great hero - George Smiley, spy par excellence despite his failing in the social graces. If you are aware of Le Carre and Smiley, you will enjoy this movie. It is difficult to portray Le Carre books effectively, because of the depth of his characters, but this does a good job of portraying the Smiley character.

A fine production
This is an excellent adaptation of John Le Carre's elegant mystery concerning Britain's class system and academia.

Beware though: not for the unintelligent. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

It made me roar
Walter Matthau was in a spate of comedies, spoofs, farces, and romantic comedies, and this might be the best of the bunch.Art Carney plays a fuddy-duddy Medical Director, with Matthau as an experienced doctor who sees himself as a romantic, Glenda Jackson as his love interest and nemesis, and Richard Benjamin as the young doctor/straight man of the team.Is it silly?Yes.Is it meaningful?No.Is it funny?Absolutely!

Wonderful Walter
Walter as a frisky widower;Glenda as his soul-mate/ nemisis;Art Carney as a bumbling Medical Director;and Richard Benjamin as the sarcastic Voice-of-Reason..plus....Walter in a babushka...all add up to a wonderfully romantic,hysterically funny look at the dating game. There will never be another Walter, so get this one and savor one of his best performances. What a sweet guy he must have been.It just shines through in this role. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

It's tame in hindsight, but A Touch of Class brought much-needed prestige to the romantic-comedy trend of the early and mid 1970s. Glenda Jackson won an Oscar® for her performance as a savvy London divorcée who falls in love with married insurance agent George Segal, and the film surprised critics by earning a Best Picture nomination as well. Chemistry's the key, with Jackson and Segal equally adept at bickering and making up (and she even has a gay male friend, long before that became a genre cliché). What begins as a routine affair--complicated by a wide spectrum of lightly comedic pitfalls--ends with mutual love and the dilemma it creates. Writer-director Melvin Frank keeps the dialogue briskly intelligent, and while he can't match Neil Simon word for word, Touch mines the same romantic territory that was perfected in Simon's later hit The Goodbye Girl. Consider them a fine double bill, with A Touch of Class ranking a respectable second. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Should've Been on the AFI's list of "Top 100 Romantic Films"
I saw this movie when it first came out in the 70's and have seen it many times on and off for years.

The movie is funny, but what makes it work is the two stars. George Segal (who never looked better) is in fine comedic form, and he and Glenda Jackson complement each other perfectly. She was especially singled out for critical acclaim -- some people compared her to Katharine Hepburn in Hepburn's comedic roles.

The movie also affords a look at London in the early 70's.

Because the actors work so well together, I would've liked a different (happier) ending for the movie. Still, after thirty years, "A Touch of Class" remains very watchable and poignant -- largely because of the two stars.

creepy and disturbing
I did not like this movie. I know that times have changed and it would be revisionist to hold this movie to millennium standards of sexual conduct and infidelity. Nonetheless, I found it very disturbing: his lack of concern for his wife and children, how the wife was unsympathetic and one dimensional, and how absolutely de rigueur it was in the sixties for married men to have "a bit on the side." And what about her kids? apart from the first scene we never see them again; she instead seems to spend all her time cooking and keeping house for a married man. I'm not a prude, really, but this film left a bad taste in my mouth.

One of the funniest, sexiest, smartest movies I've ever seen
...and I'm not easy to please. It's strange when you realize just how sexy George Segal was. But the movie is wonderfully written, sharp, smart and incredibly funny. I saw another reviewer liked The Goodbye Girl better. I prefered this...Sharper, more biting, less sentimental. That doesn't mean it's heartless or even cynical, just that it's lacking in syrup. George Segal and Glenda Jackson have the all the chemistry and the comedic chops (and then some) needed to make this movie work. This movie made me laugh a lot, was sexy enough to warm any cold night and smart enough to make me feel like the people who made it figured I had at least a high school education. How come comedic movies this smart don't get made by the major studios anymore?

A great movie that will one day be remade
Glenda Jackson and George Segal tear up the screen and nearly each other in this frothy 1973 Oscar-winning comedy. The relationship is the key here and the two leads almost define screen chemistry. Shot in London and Malaga, Spain, it's also a fun date film. The DVD transfer is pretty decent considering the age. Whatever your tastes in film, this is a pretty tough one not to like.

With Hollywood remaking classics like "Charade," this one seems a solid bet. Who would they pick today? Oh, probably Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

How come it's unavailable???
Extremely funny, light-hearted movie. Whether it was worthy of a best actress oscar is debateable, but nonetheless: HOW CAN AN OSCAR WINNING FILM NOT BE AVAILABLE IN THIS DAY & AGE?????? ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Fascinating Premise
This film follows the fascinating relationship between three Londoners--a 50 plus homosexual man, a 40ish straight woman, and the 20 something young man they are both in love with. The idea is a fascinating one, and the screenplay examines and analyses the nature and limitations of this kind of love.
It all sounds great, but there are definate problems in the execution. Firstly, the film is long and somewhat slow-moving, which is a fairly minor complaint. More importantly, the character with whom we are supposed to identify the most, and certainly the one with the most screen time, is Glenda Jackson's Alex, and she proves to be the most frustrating of the three. Her possessive need to have Bob to herself is understandable as a concept, but Jackson fails to make it seem reasonable, and the character comes accross as selfish, especially as Peter Finch's Daniel seems to pose very little threat, and to be able to subsist on only occasional visits from the beloved Bob. It's easy to see why Bob loves the older doctor, it is less apparant what he sees in Alex, who never seems to be much fun. She should be a little more likable if we are to be caught up in the film.

"BUY - BI - 'BYE LOVE"
AH YES! All of the above is in this one - and what a cast!

PETER FINCH [possibly at his greatest - pre-'Network'] and GLENDA JACKSON. It's all very elegant, and quite upper-class.

The story? Written by PENELOPE GILLIATT [The New Yorker film critic] , it's about Alex [Jackson] as the vibrant divorcee, Daniel [Finch] the handsome, middle-aged professional bachelor with one common iterest - 'Bob' the young man who moves into their respective lives, all connected by a somewhat erratic telephone service. As the tag line states: "It's about three decenet people - they will break your heart". The dialogue is witty and wry - look for the party sequence with Peter Finch and a somewhat tipsy friend's wife - HIS comment as 'wife' disrobes ....... priceless.

FINCH is very moving in the closing monologue - as he concludes towards the end "we were something" all of this augmented with music by Mozart. Alonely life ......

It's actually post 'swinging London' but still quite contemporary - even in today's climate.

Companions? "Jules & Jim" and "Small Circle of Friends".

[Trivia? Danie Day-Lewis makes his debut in this film as one of the children. Finch and Jackson were previously teamed in the period "BEQUEST TO A NATION" with Margaret Leighton - another rare menage!]

Location location location
The film is quite dreary - a man trying to decide if wants to poke or be poked. But the location shots are suberb. Part of it is filmed in Pembroke Square, London W8, a gorgeous and very bohemian part of London. Definitely the place to be, live or be seen, or at the very least - have seen.
Watch the film for the background footage alone - and don't pay too much attention to the ins and outs of the story - if you see what I mean.

Lovely Bloody Lovely
This civilized movie, of autumnal sadness, is such an actors' film.
Especially when those actors are Peter Finch and Glenda Jackson.
It is a pleasure to watch them at their craft. John Schlesinger has
directed Penelope Gilliatt's script with an eye for rich detail, and
such seemingly minimal emotions of the leads that comes through
the performances so perfectly, as delicately formed and precise as
snowflakes. They feel deeply, do Daniel (Finch) and Alex
(Jackson). Though they must not let on. It would be bad form to.

That they both love Bob (Murray Head) seems a conundrum. But
Daniel and Alex are of an age when there might be no one else,
save Bob, who is one of those curious, mercurial people who can
go from person to person, without caring one bit, beginning,
during, after. He literally feels nothing, save the rudimentary ( the
word is full of them) but he is perhaps seen by Daniel and Alex as
what they want him to be. Such is love. They recreate him from his

vagueness. And of course they must not be jealous of Bob's other
lovers. Such as Bob always require that, and consider otherwise to
be so bloody selfish.

He doesn't intentionally hurt anyone. He uses people as things, so,
to him, they are replaceable. When he is the replaceable one, if only
they could see it. He is not worth their integrity, and intelligence
and complexity of heart. Yet, when one loves, one cannot think of
him or her without making them, perhaps, mythic. To someone

else, they would be just another person, for others see them as
ordinary. This, the film explores with such finesse and grace.

Daniel has a monologue, told to us personally, the words of which
are beautiful and touching, that just about rips your heart out. Finch
adds to the words, so seemingly somewhat matter of factly saying
them, ( a person has to comport themselves properly after all)
though from deep inside, with such thought and honesty, and
searching still in these later years, and with no apology. You see the
worth and goodness of the man most especially then. You want to
put your arms around Daniel and Alex and hug them, for their love
is doomed, as they know too well. They are having to deal with the
loss, the void, to reconcile themselves to it, even during Bob, and
learning how to get through the day, routinely, like everyone else
pretends to.

"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is a film that one feels honored to see. Its
ad line-- "This is a story about three decent people. They will break
your heart." Indeed.

LEGENDARY CLASSIC RETAINS ITS POWER.
While I concur with many of the reviews posted here, there is not enough praise bestowed on the sublime Glenda Jackson, who remains the great lost actress of her generation. Though the recipient of two Oscars ("Women In Love", "A Touch of Class") and two other nominations ("Sunday.." and "Hedda"), as well as a criminal snub for the landmark "Stevie", Ms. Jackson seems to be little remembered today. It seems inconceivable now, since in the early Seventies, only Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave could be considered her equals. For me, her Alex in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" is my favorite of her rich performances. She is conflicted with her obviously unsatisfying affair with her bisexual (and, more importantly, shallow) lover, unfulfilled at her job, and basically adrift, just marking time in her life. The simple, yet powerfully suggestive emotions Jackson offers do much to help us identify strongly with her character. Who hasn't felt that, at times, their life is merely counting days, waiting for weekends which ironically do little to feed our spiritual or emotional needs? And the pattern continues, which to me is what the somewhat cryptic title implies. So much pressure is put on "the weekends" to make us happy that we can easily just wish our lives away, as Alex seems to. Its hard to find the final straw which Alex finds to salvage her life and begin again without this crippling relationship, but Jackson's brilliantly layered performance is a wonder throughout. Mr. Finch received many plaudits and is very respectable, but seems to be playing it safe here. His Dr. Hirsch is supposed to be the emotional, reasonable center of the movie, but Finch is a bit too reserved; the events don't seem to really happen to him at all. He stands curiously to the side, which may have been the author/director/actor's intent, but we don't have enough of the character's back-life for this to register. Murray Head is simply a cipher, which is all that is required, but a pleasant one. And any chance to see the divine Peggy Ashcroft and Bessie Love again is welcome.

When this movie first came out, it had that wonderful aura that many of the pictures of that era did: the essence of the forbidden--the promise that new and undiscovered worlds and situations would be examined that had never been dealt with in film before. I remember the same feeling accompanying "Cries and Whispers", "McCabe and Mrs. Miller", and "Women in Love", movies which have stood the test of time. "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", though not without its flaws, has also held up. Its a perfect time capsule of a certain period of time and change for working-class Londoners still woozy from the Sixties and not anywhere near ready for what would be the Eighties. Its also a remarkable document of a brilliant actress at the height of her estimable powers. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Description

A cult favorite from director Ken Russell. In a candle-lit Victorian brothel, playwright Oscar Wilde sips champage as pretty prositutes enact his latest play, "Salome," about the temptress responsible for the death of John the Baptist. As Salome performs her Dance of the Seven Veils, life begins to imitate art and the story becomes a mirror of the life of its author. Features: Audio commentary with director Ken Russell, Theatrical Trailer, Scene Access ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Cruelty of Longing
When I saw this film, I was pathologically attracted to the intense longing haunting each of the three main characters. Both Suzannah York and Glenda Jackson project an exquisite pathos that left me tingling with desire I've rarely experienced in front of a television set. Vivien Merchant glows with knowledge of the simple fact of her power over the lives of her filthy, animalistic subjects. She may be a mere mortal, and not royalty, but she nevertheless treats Solange and Claire with an insidious disdain that drives the film. She is one of the elect and they are...whatever, it isn't important.

Solange and Claire never complete their homocidal pantomimes with one another because they rely too heavily upon the pleasure inherent in the acts themselves. The rituals allow them escape and closeness that is otherwise denied them in their daily occupation as maids for an insensitive, psychologically cunning mistress.

Genet's play was based upon the case of the Papin Sisters, Christine and Lea. These were two incestuous sisters who worked as maids in Le Mans France in the early 1930's. Between them, they butchered both the woman of the house and her daughter. Christina dominated her sister yet cried out for her in prison.
The psychological bond between Christina and Lea led no less a personage than Jacques Lacan to write about them just after the murders.

This film is a bit of a conceit, because the dialogue is far smarter than one would expect from such lowly creatures. Of course, the joy is observing the great care and tremendous fun that each actress has with the words. Indeed, words are poison teasingly administered in a game of protracted strangulation that needs no precise denouement to bring on the flowers of oblivion.

Tortured Souls
This review refers to the Kino Video DVD edition of The American Film Theatre's production of "The Maids"....

The American Film Theatre's Ely Landau, has brought to film and DVD a series of outstanding and thought provoking plays. One of these, written by Jean Genet, considered by many to be a genuis of the genre, is the very intense and complex study of class distinction,"The Maids". I was so floored by the depth of emotions portrayed by these phenominal actresses, that I viewed this film twice in just the last couple of days. The second time around I appreciated it even more than the first.

Glenda Jackson and Susannah York, are sisters, and both are servants to Vivien Merchant, a demanding socialite. Solange and Claire have grown to hate "Madame",for her degrading treatment of them and neverending belittling of their station in life. Their desire to be the ones in power have them role playing whenever Madame is away.Acting out an intense psychological drama in Madame's bedroom, they take the game to the limits of vengefulness, never actually following through to their desired result..the death of Madame. How far will these tortured souls go to achieve their need for revenge?

These three actresses will take your breath away with the intenseness of their performances. You will hang on every word of the brillant dialouge and get caught up in their every movement. Director Christopher Miles exquistly brings this play to film. One thing that really struck me was the use of mirrors throughout the film. There were times when a reflection in a mirror, startled me into seeing something I hadn't noticed before. And of course, our hearts are always in our throats, thinking that Madame, will arrive home at any minute, during the sister's "games".

The DVD by Kino is excellent. The film is nearly 30 years old, but has a nice clear letterboxed picture, with very good colors.The dialouge is always clear and distguishable. There's interviews and essays, all in the form of notes, which are most informative and give a good background on the play and it's author.

This is a cinematic experience, not to be missed, by anyone who appreciates fine filmmaking, with thought provoking material.

Thanks..and...enjoy...Laurie

Powerful performances
The productions of the American Film Theatre have long been unavailable for viewing, either commerically or via broadcast. This filmed production of Jean Genet's 'The Maids' is arguably one of the best of the series. Glenda Jackson and Susannah York play sisters Solange and Claire, two maids, who take turns dressing up as their mistress (played by Vivien Merchant) and abusing each other in a parody of the master/slave relationship. Since the source material is a stage play, the plot is dialog driven, and in lesser hands this would have been excruciatingly dull. But Ms. Jackson and Ms. York (and Ms. Merchant) give full-throttle performances, and Christopher Miles' skillful direction never lets the tension lag for a moment as the secrets of the sisters are revealed one by one. If you require an editing cut every four or five seconds, this is not the movie for you. If you want to see three great actresses taking it to the limit, buy this film. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Forgotten Glenda Jackson Film Worth Seeing
Glenda Jackson, Sandy Dennis and Geraldine Page are all excellent in this little seen film from the 70's. The script and the acting are very good. The main problem is that this DVD transfer is terrible. Poor picture and sound. If you've never seen the film, I recommend it. If you have seen it, skip this DVD and hope they come out with a better quality DVD in the future.

Nuns on the take
Imagine a convent as Watergate and Glenda Jackson as Richard Nixon. Nasty Habits is a parody of Watergate that Lampoons everyone from Sandy Dennis as the John Dean character to Melina Mecouri as Henry Kissenger. It has however been called a "one line movie" (You won't have Alexandra to kick around anymore). But I think you have to appreciate it for what it is, a thinly disguised political lampoon of a time that wasn't that funny. I highly recommend it if you're a democrat.... ... Read more

Description

The infamous Marquis de Sade, confined to an asylum, directs the other inmates in a re-enactment of the bloody assassination of French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat. Glenda Jackson, Patrick MaGee and Ian Richardson star in this terrifying descent into an eerie world of madness and murder. Full title: "The Persecution andAssassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade." ... Read more